Son Of MS Dhoni’s Friend Could Soon Take Jadeja’s Place In Team India-TGN

Son Of MS Dhoni’s Friend Could Soon Take Jadeja’s Place In Team India – There is no denying that the fight for every single position in Team India senior men’s side is the toughest and most competitive one in world cricket. Even in India’s second and third-string sides, there are always quality and talented youngsters and fringe players who have to sit on the bench.

With India being among the most active team playing international matches regularly across formats, seniors are often given rests from some matches and series to provide youngsters and other fringe players opportunities.

Even then such is the case that some good quality all-rounders such as Rahul Tewatia and Riyan Parag have not gotten a single call-up yet because of extremely high competition for every single slot in the side.

One all-rounder that India have heavily banked upon, and he’s proven his worth in gold is Ravindra Jadeja in the past few years in the white-ball sides. However, with Jadeja being in his mid-30s and being an all-format player, he is also rested for some series here and there.

In the coming months, one player who could become new India’s young talented all-rounder and who has immense potential is Assam and Rajasthan Royals star Riyan Parag, who is the son of a friend of MS Dhoni.

Riyan Parag’s father Parag Kumar Das played against MS Dhoni when Dhoni was an emerging star. Dhoni had, in fact, stumped Parag’s father when he played as a wicket-keeper for Bihar against Assam in the 1999/2000 Ranji Trophy season. From thereon, it is believed, Parag Kumar Das became friends with Dhoni.

Interestingly, in the 2019 IPL, MS Dhoni took a catch of Riyan Parag as well.

Riyan Parag is the son of MS Dhoni’s friend; Parag could soon knock on India’s doors

Since as a teenager, Riyan Parag was touted for great and big things in cricket. The prodigious Assam cricketer got his first IPL contract as an 18-year-old in 2019 by Rajasthan Royals and he’s been with RR since 2019 and has spent five years at the franchise so far.

The 21-year-old Riyan Parag is slowly making a name for himself as a utility all-rounder. He has hard-hitting finishing abilities, as that of former skipper MS Dhoni, a gift of timing and power with which he’s smacked some jaw-dropping sixes in his career so far. His wrist-work and the power he has in his forearms and wrists often belies his lean body.

Riyan Parag had a dream Deodhar Trophy 2023 where he shone brightly for East Zone, helping the team reach the final, and also performed superbly in the final against West Zone.

But Riyan Parag was sensational: he was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his brilliant all-rounder efforts of 354 runs and 11 wickets. In the final, he took two wickets and smashed 95 runs off 65 balls, but in the end, West Zone emerged victorious.

Riyan Parag has already given glimpses of his talent and abilities in the IPL. Though his numbers don’t speak much, it should be remembered he’s mostly batted in the lower-middle-order for Rajasthan Royals and often has come in a position where he has to attack from the start of his innings.

Riyan Parag is only 21 years of age at the moment and is showing good progress in the recent Deodhar Trophy. This could lead to something big for the all-rounder, maybe a place in the Indian T20I team in the coming year.